On May 1, 1784, a New York State statute declared “that the College within the City of New York heretofore called King’s College be forever hereafter called and known by the name of Columbia College.” On May 5, 1784, the new board of Regents (or Trustees) made its first faculty appointment. They ordered “that a […]
Tag: University Archives
1776: Battle of Harlem Heights
Is it true that the Battle of Harlem Heights was fought on the current Columbia campus? Yes, on September 16, 1776, General George Washington’s troops met with the British forces in what is now known as Morningside Heights. In fact, the heaviest fighting of the day took place in a buckwheat field by what is […]
Lost and Found: The King’s College Seal
The Columbia University seal is based on a design by the first president of King’s College, Samuel Johnson. In fact, the main difference between the original and the current seal is the name of the institution. Did you know that the original engraving of the seal was lost for over 120 years? […]
1776: First Fallen Alumnus
Columbia’s colonial times predecessor, King’s College, educated many of the men who helped create the new nation such as Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Robert Livingston and Gouverneur Morris. But King’s College was also the one-time-home for some who died during the conflict. Harman Rutgers was the first King’s College alumnus to fall during the Revolutionary […]
Commencement: An Out of Doors Exercise
This year’s University Commencement on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, will be held on the Morningside campus over two ceremonies: one for the graduate students at 10:30 am and one for the undergraduate students at 5:00 pm. As we get ready to celebrate this year’s graduates, it is only fitting that we look back to another […]